These Hikes Have The Most Bear Sightings In America

Trail hiking in America is a glorious sport. It is a breathtaking way to commune with the untamed parts of our Earth, a space sometimes harsh and unforgiving yet characterized by a serenity that knows no bounds. Some of the best thinking you'll do in your life will be on a quiet trail, with the birds, bugs, and sounds of the forest humming in the backdrop. The best part about all this is that the great American outdoors exists everywhere you look! No matter which part of the country you call home, you're guaranteed to have at least a few rejuvenating natural areas nearby that sport astoundingly beautiful and refreshing hiking trails.

The wild supports an extravagant ecosystem of large and small plants and animals. American climes, being no different, feature a healthy population of bears. Only seven states in the contiguous U.S. aren't in the current known range of black bears. On the other hand, brown bears (also known as grizzlies) can be spotted all over Alaska and in states like Montana and Wyoming. Bear encounters are on the rise in the U.S. (both in their forested habitats and suburban communities), so seeing one on a hike is nearly expected. These trails have some of the highest ratings, giving you a playlist of areas to explore or avoid at all costs, depending on your derring-do! However, if you prefer water to the wild, check out the most dangerous dive sites worldwide.

The first destination that should top any list of hiking trails that experience routine bear encounters is the Appalachian Trail (AT). Indeed, nearly the entire span of the 2,200-mile trail sees significant bear activity. The mountain ridge of the east is firmly within the black bear habitat range, so hikers traversing the AT will want to keep a sharp eye out for bears. You might benefit from a first-timer's guide to the Appalachian Trail.

If you encounter a bear, ensure it knows you're there and, most importantly, make it abundantly clear that you intend to leave it alone! Black and brown bears typically aren't overly aggressive or confrontational. However, they aren't afraid of conflict when necessary, especially when it comes to a puny human that weighs a fraction of its weight. Call out to the bear if you see it first, and make noises while you hike in bear territory. Back away slowly if you come face to face with one, de-escalating any potential tension before it becomes a problem.

The Chisos Mountains are in Big Bend National Park, offering the best bear-sighting location in Texas. Writing in The Big Bend Sentinel, Park Ranger Tyler Priest recounts a hike in the park where he spotted 10 bears, leading to a piece of important advice for any hiker. "Whenever a bear stops what it was previously doing, it's a sign that we're too close." He recounts a bear that suddenly stopped bringing violence to a tree's branches in favor of intensely scoping him out. The issue was that Priest was standing between the bear and her cub, unbeknownst to him. Never place yourself near a bear's cub if you can help it. While bears aren't known to be particularly violent toward humans, they make a stark exception when they perceive danger near their babies.

Priest's other dealings with bears along the Chisos Mountains trail were all cordial affairs, as are most bear sightings. Interestingly, the park's ecosystem had no bears for about 50 years before they returned naturally to the region in the late 1980s. Remarkably, this occurred without conservationists paving the way or intentionally transplanting a starter population. Today, it is a haven for bear activity and a wonderful place for bear-spotting enthusiasts to hike.

Brown bears are larger and stronger than black bears. They have a bigger snout and a pronounced, vicious-looking face and jaw. Black bears more closely resemble the facial geometry of a deer or dog if you really stare at one. Brown bears look like they have a chip on their shoulder, and the hump on their shoulders only drives this point home more soundly. You can spot grizzlies in Montana, including in Glacier National Park (an exquisite natural beauty once called the "Crown of the Continent").

The park is home to 600 black bears and 300 brown bears. However, grizzlies are constantly on the move. At least half the population spends time outside its boundaries, meaning their numbers can shrink or surge depending on external factors. Hidden Lake Trail is one part of the national park that sees plenty of bear activity. The hike is a roughly 5-mile, out-and-back journey that brings you to Hidden Lake Overlook, a spectacular scene that rewards visitors and perhaps even melts away concerns over bear encounters.

The reality that you stand next to no chance in a physical altercation with a bear should be a sobering thought. The importance of slowly backing away from a bear when an encounter occurs cannot be overstated. Don't turn your back on the animal, and avoid prolonged eye contact. More importantly, don't try to run away from the bear; you can't outrun a bear! Physical encounters are certain to be gruesome affairs, but perhaps no bear attack is more vicious than one from a grizzly. 

Katmai National Park is a destination that has evaded many adventurers. It's on our list of U.S. national parks you just have to explore. The park is home to the largest protected brown bear population in the world, making it a natural choice for anyone brave enough to seek out a grizzly encounter intentionally. Apart from the daredevils among us, Katmai National Park is a geological record of 9,000 years of human history and the scars of nature's wild side. The park was established around Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a volcanic region at the base of Alaska's western peninsula near Kodiak Island.

The Brooks Falls Trail is a 1.2-mile hike that brings visitors to a viewing platform above the Brooks River. This river is a favorite destination for brown bears to hunt for salmon, with particularly striking numbers congregating along the riverbanks in July. Brown bears are but one species teeming in this protected landscape, and watching them from the height of a viewing area is a great way to get close to nature without risking your life.

What a view! The Jenny Lake Loop is a roughly 7-mile trail that brings explorers around Grand Teton National Park's Jenny Lake. It's a moderately challenging trail, but one that's so incredibly worth the effort. Hikers typically spend 3 to 5 hours negotiating the trail and traversing its 1,040-foot elevation gain. The lake and the mountains that extend around it make for breathtaking backdrops for a gorgeous day out in nature. Grand Teton is also one of the sanctuaries for black and brown bears in the United States, making it particularly interesting for animal spotters.

Grizzlies are active in Grand Teton National Park during the fall, foraging, hunting, and eating as much as they can before winter comes along. As such, it's a good idea to practice a simple yet powerful approach to hiking in active bear habitats. Hiking in medium and large groups is not only a great way to share incredible moments with friends, but also a solid option for protecting yourself against the threat of a bear attack. Once again, bears aren't typically all that concerned with humans, but they can be whipped up into a frenzy by inconsiderate hikers or those who don't notice a stray cub lingering a little too close.

The out-and-back, nearly 5-mile Abrams Falls Trail is in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park, in its totality, is home to roughly 1,500 black bears. This makes it a classic bear-sighting destination, as well as a beautiful opportunity to explore the natural environment they inhabit. Some of the most family-friendly things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include hiking along the Cades Cove Valley route. 

Abrams Falls Trail brings visitors to a 25-foot waterfall over a deep pool of water. Even though you might be tempted to swim in the refreshing, lapping waves beneath the falls, it should be avoided since the water body exhibits strong undertow currents that can be deadly. The rocky landscape is also particularly slippery due to mist from the falls. However, catching sight of a bear on your way to this picturesque scene may just be a highlight of the day!

The hike up Mount Norwottuck, ending at the Holyoke Range's highest point, is in a subsection of the Appalachian Mountains' lengthy expanse. Placed down gently in western Massachusetts, The Holyoke range is speckled with incredible foliage that naturally turns to brilliant shades of orange and red in the fall. This season is a particularly beautiful time for hiking, especially in New England. The temperature dips a bit, making the pursuit more relaxing and comfortable. It also brings earlier sunsets. Check out travel hacks for leaf-peeping vacationing in the fall.

The National Park Service recommends avoiding hiking in bear country at dusk and after dark if you can. Making the mistake of thinking that Massachusetts isn't a part of this habitat can be a severe one. These times, as well as the dawn hours, are when bears are the most active, increasing the likelihood of encountering one while it's hunting or exploring its environment.

Taking necessary precautions, the hike up Mount Norwottuck is certainly rewarding. Even if you don't encounter one of these majestic, powerful creatures, the 3.6-mile trail averages about a 2-hour hike up and down the peak. Throughout the climb, you'll be treated to western Mass' spectacular natural scenery, along with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife.

[Featured image by Andy Anderson via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Mount Katahdin is Maine's highest point, a mammoth undertaking at either the beginning or end of the Appalachian Trail. It features an alpine tundra landscape along portions of its nearly 5,300-foot height. These higher elevations aren't particularly hospitable to the bears of the region, as they prefer to remain in the tree-lined foliage to hunt and unearth plant-based meals. The hike up Mount Katahdin will take you through the lower portion of Baxter State Park as you begin your adventure. Its larger area forms a roughly 11-mile hike before you reach some of the higher-elevation landscapes and is home to a thriving black bear population. 

Here and across the country, areas that have experienced recent bear sightings tend to be marked. State and national parks around the United States urge visitors to report bear encounters and any other notable activities in which local bears may be engaged. For instance, if a bear follows your group for a while or successfully steals food from your stockpile, these actions should be reported so that rangers know what they're dealing with behaviorally in relatively real time. The result is a network of decently well-marked bear sighting posts, but there's never a sure thing when it comes to these animals since they can and do explore wherever their curiosity takes them.

Returning to the wilds of Wyoming, hikers hoping to spot a bear may just be rewarded on this trail in the iconic Yellowstone National Park. Perhaps the most famous national landscape in the entire country, Yellowstone was the first National Park, designated by Congress in 1872. The Wyoming expanse of wilderness and wonder is home to brown and black bears. Those seeking a grizzly sighting — hopefully from a distance — will have a decent shot at getting their wish here, particularly along Slough Creek Trail in the Tower-Roosevelt segment of the park. The trail will take hikers through a meadow in the Lamar Valley, with a second one rounding up your adventure in a nearly 9-mile, round-trip hike.

The area is a hotspot for brown and black bears, and wolves are known to frequent the trail's surroundings, adding another exciting wild-animal spotting to the list of heart pumpers in the park. The trail ultimately extends to the northern park boundary and meets up with other routes. This makes for a sort of choose-your-own-adventure when exploring the broad open vistas of Yellowstone and its vibrant bear population.

Back in the east, the Flume Gorge Trail found in New Hampshire's Franconia Notch State Park is a great option for hikers seeking off-road hiking trails and boardwalk segments that make for a slightly easier adventure on the feet and legs. The trail traverses a segment of New Hampshire that offers a kind of double-threat for visitors.

In the winter, Franconia Notch is home to the Cannon Mountain Ski Resort, drawing visitors from all over the country and beyond. It's one of New England's best skiing options. The curated landscapes that form these highly rated ski slopes provide a fertile foraging ground for the region's black bears once the snow melts away and warmer weather returns in the spring.

The black bears here are so abundant that frequent hikers have taken to naming some of them. A hotspot has to be the Flume Gorge Trail, which follows the curvature of the landscape's natural gorge along a roughly 2-mile trail. Black bears can be found slurping up a drink from the stream or exploring the banks' foliage.

Half Dome Trail is home to roughly 300 to 500 black bears and isn't a hike for the faint of heart for numerous reasons, bear sightings included. The trail gains significant elevation along its course, accumulating 4,800 feet, and towers over Yosemite Valley by the end of its run (8,800 feet above sea level). Combined with a distance measuring 16 miles in length (roundtrip), the hike will take the better part of a day out in the wild, between 10 and 12 hours on average.

On the subject of black bears, it's important that hikers keep in mind that not all black bears have black fur. They can sport brown, cream, or even white fur. Black bears can be found in more color varieties than any other mammal in North America, eviscerating the utility of their naming convention. This is useful because a novice hiker staying vigilant for "black" bears may inadvertently blind themselves to spotting a cinnamon, blue-gray, or tan-colored black bear. 

This can lead you right into the path of a bear, potentially introducing quite dangerous circumstances to your otherwise magical hike. The farther west you travel, the more likely it seems you are to see a non-black, black bear. It doesn't get more westerly than California, so this feels like apt advice when exploring a bear haven in Yosemite National Park.

Last but certainly not least is the High Divide Loop trail in Olympic National Park. This area doesn't see a recorded brown bear population, but visitors to the Olympic Peninsula can easily come across a black bear or several. It's not uncommon to encounter bears fishing for salmon in the region.

High Divide Loop is an 18-plus mile trail and meets up with the Seven Lakes Basin Loop to form a wildly popular hiking trail that visitors tend to camp along while spending multiple days on the trail. Olympic National Park is an awe-inspiring landscape that covers almost 1 million acres of pristine wilderness real estate. Plenty of additional animal life can be found here, including cougars, but the bears are perhaps one of the most spectacular sights along the looping trailhead and one of the most expected sights along the hike.